Villagers with the largest crocodile on record. Photo courtesy of AFP.

Authorities in the Philippines captured the largest crocodile on record after a series of fatal attacks, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The 21-foot (6.4-meter) saltwater crocodile was captured in Agusan del Sur wetland on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao after a three-week hunt following the disappearance of a farmer in the town of Bunawan. Wildlife authorities used chicken, pork and dog meat in an attempt to lure the beast, which was finally landed using a heavy metal cable. Once captured and examined, no human remains were found inside the crocodile.

The giant croc will be kept at a nature park in Bunawan, where it is expected to be the star attraction among other wildlife found in the marsh.

October 5, 2005 – The National Park Service released photos that show the carcass of an American alligator that was almost swallowed by a Burmese python.

The crocodile is believed to be the biggest ever captured, exceeding a 5.48-meter (18-foot) male which lives at a zoo in Australia. That individual, named Cassius, is listed by the Guinness World Records as the largest captive saltwater crocodile. Larger saltwater crocs have been sighted and killed in the wild.

The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the world’s largest reptile. The species is not considered endangered globally, but populations in some countries are at risk. In the Philippines the saltwater crocodile is listed as “critically endangered” on the IUCN Red List due to hunting.

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